From the late Anthony Bourdain’s name-making book, Kitchen Confidential, to the current streaming phenom The Bear, the inner workings of professional kitchens have long been a source of fascination. Now, some of America’s best restaurants have taken that idea a step further, blurring the line between the dining room and the kitchen to offer a front-row seat to the culinary action. The concept moves beyond the chef’s table by involving every diner in the room.
Douglas Keane, of Michelin-starred Cyrus in Geyserville, Calif., says he designed his kitchen to be spacious enough for everyone to take a closer look, with “seven-foot aisles so guest and chef can make genuine connections over food,” adding that the layout makes for a more relaxed environment. Here, four dining destinations that invite you all the way in.
Georgia Boy | Atlanta Chef Joey Ward’s culinary speakeasy is a restaurant within a restaurant, hidden inside the exposed-brick expanse of his other space, Southern Belle . The first two courses are served in an anteroom, after which you sleuth out the secret door that leads to the main event. Diners at the pair of eight-top tables here have a direct view of the culinary team, with a convivial vibe encouraging interaction.
The 12-course meal presents playfully nostalgic riffs on Southern culture: One dish features a tomato-sandwich macaroon and a sorbet chaser, a nostalgic ode to childhood summers spent playing in the yard and drinking from the garden hose. .